Youth on the frontlines protecting South Africa’s environment
“We are making sure that the river is kept healthy and clean,” says Palesa, as she wades into Mthinzima stream that skirts the edges of Mpophomeni township. Behind her the rolling hills of northern Kwa Zulu- Natal (KZN) shine bright green following the summer rains. The 25-year-old is here with two other young women, Mbali and Thabsile, to take a…, Keeping communities healthy, The significance of Palesa and the teams work in monitoring and recording the Mthinzima stream’s pollution levels has far reaching effects. “This has a further downstream impact, like at the Durban beaches where some of them have been closed because of the waste and pollution from upstream areas,” explains Palesa. The stream also flows into the…, Building connections from the ground up, In the process of environmental action, the ‘Enviro-Champs’ work with people from across society. “We engage with the community to come up with an idea on how we can solve problems,” says Thabsile, referring to their work in tackling solid waste dumping around the stream and the burning of household rubbish that affects air quality. Advocacy with…